Cowgirl Softball Opens Big 12 Play With Sweep of No. 20/22 Baylor

STILLWATER – A four-run first inning set the tone as the No. 2/2 Oklahoma State Softball team completed the series sweep of No. 20/22 Baylor with a 5-1 win over the Bears on Sunday afternoon.

With the win, OSU improved to 29-2 and 3-0 in Big 12 play, while BU fell to 23-8 and 0-3 against conference opposition.

The Pokes have now swept their Big 12 opener in back-to-back seasons; it's the first time since 2009-10 that OSU has opened Big 12 play with series sweeps.

Reigning All-American Kelly Maxwell got the nod in the circle as she pitched 4.0 innings against the Bears. She improved to 9-0 as she earned the win, before giving way to Lexi Kilfoyl in relief.

Kilfoyl earned her second save of the season with her 3.0 relief innings as she struck out two with no walks given up.

Rachel Becker's leadoff walk opened the bottom of the first, who advanced to second after a fielding error from the Bear allowed Tallen Edwards to reach first.

Both runners were quickly brought home as Kiley Naomi hit her team-leading eighth home run of the year, a moonshot over the left field wall.

OSU scratched across one more run in the first inning after Katelynn Carwile was able to advance home following another error from Baylor, elevating the Cowgirls' lead up to 4-0.

Today's four-spot in the first inning was the 24th time this season that OSU has scored first; the Cowgirls are 23-1 when scoring first.

The Pokes' fifth and final run came in the second inning, as Becker's leadoff single started the inning. An RBI single from Micaela Wark brought Becker home and extended OSU's lead to 5-0.

The Bears lone run came in the fifth inning following an OSU fielding error.

OSU is back on the road Wednesday for a midweek game at Tulsa. First pitch is set for 5 p.m. CT and fans can tune in on The Varsity Network.